All Mobile Video Chooses Barnfind’s BarnOne Signal Transport Platform to Anchor Major Fiber Upgrade

All Mobile Video (AMV), has chosen Barnfind’s BarnOne multifunctional signal transportation platform as part of a comprehensive overhaul of AMV’s fiber transport capabilities. The BarnOne systems enable AMV to transport and switch up to 32 signals within a single frame and on a single fiber, greatly simplifying setup, operation, and troubleshooting for on-location productions.
AMV has currently deployed four full-scale, 1-RU Barnfind BarnOne systems and 15 BarnMini single-channel “throw-down” appliances in portable flypacks that can be installed quickly and easily on production locations and in the company’s trucks. The flypacks are also available for rent through AMV’s rental division. Over the next two years, AMV will permanently integrate the BarnOne systems into all nine of its main production trucks.

“At AMV, we were early adopters of fiber transport well before it became the industry standard. With many other production companies just beginning to embrace fiber in a big way, it was time for us to do a major overhaul to simplify operations and make setup and teardown faster and easier,” says Lee Blanco, director of engineering, All Mobile Video. “BarnOne has provided the ideal solution because it offers tremendous 32 x 32 firepower in a small footprint — always critical in a space-restricted truck. And the BarnStudio software provides outstanding reporting capabilities so that we can always be aware of the signal flow going through the box.”

AMV uses the BarnOne systems to route and transport a variety of input and output signals including 3G/1.5G HD-SDI links connecting cameras and CCUs, Ethernet, and ASI. BarnOne’s built-in 32 x 32 crosspoint matrix is able to route, switch, and duplicate any optical or coaxial input to any output. Another important feature is BarnOne’s ability to provide multiplexing if an AMV client specifies it, or to operate in point-to-point, nonmuxing mode as required. In addition to providing its own line of small form-factor pluggable (SFP) modules, Barnfind also supports other manufacturers’ MSA-compliant SFPs — enabling AMV to cost-effectively perform a range of media conversions over fiber.

“BarnOne’s ability to work and play well with third-party solutions is a huge plus and a very important capability in today’s mixed production environments. Plus, the system gives us the flexibility to route and repeat signals, send them out point to point, or mux them inside or outside of the frame,” Blanco added. “BarnOne is a huge time-saver since it has replaced individual components and messy fiber arrangements. We can keep things neat and easy to manage, and our confidence factor has gone up because the connections operate as expected.”

“AMV is well-known for providing mobile production on high-profile live events such as the Metropolitan Opera’s theater broadcasts, and it has been our pleasure to supply them with the state-of-the-art Barnfind solutions for the fiber upgrade project,” says Sean Busby, President and co-founder, Barnfind Americas. “Working with AMV and Lee has also been very beneficial for Barnfind, because they’ve given feedback and input that has made the BarnOne solution even better. For instance, AMV asked us to develop a capability to provide CCU switching through the BarnOne hardware. It’s a great example of how customer input continues to drive Barnfind’s product development.”